Microsoft issues DMCA complaint against site hosting Windows 11 ISO, confirms authenticity
The legitimacy of the Windows 11 leak seems to be verified as Microsoft goes after sites hosting the stolen ISO.
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What you need to know
Microsoft has had one heck of a ride this week with an allegedWindows 11ISOleakingto a public forum. That build of Windows had Windows 11 throughout the WinVer, setup screens, out-of-box-experience, and more along with a completely new UI and somehiddenfeatures too.
While we never doubted the authenticity of the leak or the OS being labeled Windows 11 (something we strongly hinted ata month ago), some people still thought this was some diabolic ruse by Microsoft. In other words, the leak was purposeful, the Windows 11 logos were a red herring, and later this month the company is going to reveal therealOS and new name.
Yeah, we know. Look, the internet is a weird and fun place.
Throwing water on that inane theory is the news Microsoft issued an official Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) complaint against Google over an article by Beebom.com, based out of India. The protest was firstspotted by Fossbytesthis morning, and theDMCA complaint is viewable online. The complaint is against Google for listing the article in its search results and filed on June 17. From the complaint’s description:
Beebom.com’s article is distributing Windows 11 ISO (copyrighted to Microsoft). Please remove their article from the search. It is a leaked copy of the unreleased Windows 11.
It is unclear if other sites directly distributing the leaked ISO are also getting take-down notices, but it would seem likely once they are discovered.
However, the more important news is Microsoft demolishing the idea that this ISO was purposedly leaked by it, or the name of the new OS isnotWindows 11.
Of course, aswe noted, the leaked ISO is an early build of Windows 11 from May and is not the completed OS that will ship laterin Octoberas afree update.
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Microsoft’s next-gen OS has many revisions to the current Windows 10, primarily based around a new UI layer. Some of the changes include a newStart menu, new animations, improved touch experience, refreshed icons, novel system sounds, new OOBE, improved Ink Workspace, moreWindows Snapoptions, and aWidget Panel.
Microsoft should fill in the gaps for features, further UI changes,developer news, monetization of apps, and any architectural changes onJune 24giving us the complete picture of Windows 11. Stay tuned.
Daniel Rubino is the Editor-in-chief of Windows Central. He is also the head reviewer,podcast co-host, and analyst. He has been covering Microsoft since 2007, when this site was called WMExperts (and later Windows Phone Central). His interests include Windows, laptops, next-gen computing, and watches. He has been reviewing laptops since 2015 and is particularly fond of 2-in-1 convertibles, ARM processors, new form factors, and thin-and-light PCs. Before all this tech stuff, he worked on a Ph.D. in linguistics, watched people sleep (for medical purposes!), and ran the projectors at movie theaters because it was fun.
